Golden Jubilee Booklet - Chapter V: Humerous History & Happanstance

Part II
page 20- by CHARLIE H. MAMMEN

Charles Richard had the first restaurant in Brunsville. One day I went in and ordered a bowl of soup.  While I was eating my soup the waiter came over. She said it looks like rain,  I said "yes" it does, but it tastes a little like soup.

    Years ago the grocery clerks added up with a pencil what the customer bought.  now they use a checking machine.  Last week I bought a few groceries in a store in town.  A lady ahead of me had her big cart full checked and was ready to pay for them.  She picked up the long slip of paper and took a casual look.  She said "I guess that's about right, I usually pay around $25.00 a foot for my groceries."

    In 1926 Pastor Zank came to Brunsville.  During the time he was here, a man near Brunsville became sick, so he went to see the doctor.  The doctor told him he had a floating kidney.  That worried him, so he went to see Pastor Zank. He asked the Pastor to have the congregation pray for his floating kidney.  The Pastor said he couldn't do that, the people would laugh at that.  The man said I don't see why, just last Sunday you prayed for loose livers.

  Ernest Boysen was our first depot agent.  Then came a Mr. Wier, later on came James Bradford. During his stay we had shows and parties in the baggage room, and orchestra and saxophone practice in the waiting room and updstairs. Jim had a nice garden along the railroad tracks, among other things he raised some nice strawberries.  We had some for dinner.  Jim said he put fertilizer on them, that's why they were so good.  I told him i liked mine with cream and sugar on them.

    In the spring of 1911 Brunsville was incorporated.  Charles Richard was our first mayor.  Ed Johnson was treasurer, B. J. Luken, clerk.  Councilmen were John Dirks, Barney Luken, Otto Vollmar, and Fred Toel.   A new creamery was built in Brunsville after the one in Mammen burned down.  On May 22, 1915 the first cream was received.  Jobe Henneday was manager and butter maker.

    George Popken and Ed Johnson were our town's champion hunters.  They would go out quite often, but George could walk so fast that he left Ed behind so far that he would meet George coming back after George had been trampling over a couple of sections.  Ed said he needed a pony to keep up with George. 

By CHARLIE H. MAMMEN

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